Profiles in Green: Virginia Thompson
While many folks were taking interesting, exotic, or leisurely vacations this summer, our household was taking steps to save on energy costs and making our home more comfortable throughout the year.
For nearly two months this summer, numerous passers-by inquired about the dumpster in our driveway. Our answer, “putting in insulation and installing new doors,” was brought to us by a federal grant program that anyone in southeastern Pennsylvania can use.
While many folks were taking interesting, exotic, or leisurely vacations this summer, our household was taking steps to save on energy costs and making our home more comfortable throughout the year.
For nearly two months this summer, numerous passers-by inquired about the dumpster in our driveway. Our answer, “putting in insulation and installing new doors,” was brought to us by a federal grant program that anyone in southeastern Pennsylvania can use.
The program, called EnergyWorks, is run by the Energy Coordinating Agency, located in Philadelphia. The program provides for a home energy assessment for the very low cost of $150.00. (Energy auditors not affiliated with this program often charge many times that amount.) The assessment is conducted by a certified building analayst using special equipment to evaluate home energy use, heating and cooling, and safety issues. You receive a customized report with recommendations for improvements that can save the most energy.
Then you can decide to have some or all of the work done to save on your energy costs. You can also choose from a number of contractors participating in the program. When your improvements are completed, EnergyWorks sends out an independent quality assurance auditor to make sure the work was done correctly and to make sure that any safety concerns are addressed. And, the work (up to $15,000) can be paid for with a loan of 0.99% over a 10-year-period.
Our family thought this whole program sounded just perfect to try to reduce the gale-force winds through our house in the winter and thus save energy costs. Our home energy assessment showed that we needed more cellulose insulation blown-in in the attic, spray foam insulation in all the nooks and crannies of the basement in the 65+-year-old house, and cellulose insulation blown into the walls. Total cost for all of this insulation, including an R-49 rating in the attic? Only $7,135.
We also knew that all of our exterior doors were leaky and thus contributing to our discomfort and higher heating bills. So we chose to replace all of our doors as well. The doors added considerably to our cost, but we have also gained functionality and better appearance with the new doors.
We chose to finance the maximum amount of $15,000 with a loan from the program’s financing company so that we would not have to pay all of the costs of our home energy improvements upfront. Our monthly payments total only $131.35 for the next 10 years.
Then you can decide to have some or all of the work done to save on your energy costs. You can also choose from a number of contractors participating in the program. When your improvements are completed, EnergyWorks sends out an independent quality assurance auditor to make sure the work was done correctly and to make sure that any safety concerns are addressed. And, the work (up to $15,000) can be paid for with a loan of 0.99% over a 10-year-period.
Our family thought this whole program sounded just perfect to try to reduce the gale-force winds through our house in the winter and thus save energy costs. Our home energy assessment showed that we needed more cellulose insulation blown-in in the attic, spray foam insulation in all the nooks and crannies of the basement in the 65+-year-old house, and cellulose insulation blown into the walls. Total cost for all of this insulation, including an R-49 rating in the attic? Only $7,135.
We also knew that all of our exterior doors were leaky and thus contributing to our discomfort and higher heating bills. So we chose to replace all of our doors as well. The doors added considerably to our cost, but we have also gained functionality and better appearance with the new doors.
We chose to finance the maximum amount of $15,000 with a loan from the program’s financing company so that we would not have to pay all of the costs of our home energy improvements upfront. Our monthly payments total only $131.35 for the next 10 years.
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